Tensions escalate in the Middle East as Israeli forces seek Palestine resistance fighters in the small town of Tulkarm, going so far as to fire rockets from helicopters at cars believed to hold resistance leaders.[4]

The Ordo Dracul tries Ioan Dragolescu, founder of the Dragolescubloodline, for his sympathies to the Third Reich. Dragolescu makes a prediction that a member of his bloodline would one night arise to complete the ritual he had begun, and become the unliving embodiment of all of world’s unquiet dead. Later, he immolates himself, rather than facing the sentence of the court.[5]

Anibál Buendia, a nova with the ability to reconfigure his cellular structure, first secretes the polymer known as "eufiber." This material, which has the ability to bond with nova cell structure and channel and redirect quantum and bio-energies, becomes the most popular fashion accessory for novas and the wealthy. As a side effect, studies of eufiber enable advances in the development of optic cable technology.[6][7]

N! does a "The World's Opinion" segment asking people what they think of Operation Genesis. Opinion is mixed: some voice their full approval, while others believe Utopia should tackle problems such as finding André Corbin or various political problems before giving people more land to fight over.[10]

A government summary proposes that, after the incident with the Aberrant there, the Bremerton Naval Yards be closed indefinitely, and the area around Puget Sound out to a ten kilometre radius be quarantined with permanent monitoring of toxic waste leakage.[11]